Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack is a letter addressed to Harold from a woman he hasn't seen or heard from in 20 years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye. Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person.

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy: A Novel

In this poignant parallel story to Harold's saga, acclaimed author Rachel Joyce brings Queenie Hennessy's voice into sharp focus. Setting pen to paper, Queenie makes a journey of her own, a journey that is even bigger than Harold's. One word after another, she promises to confess long-buried truths--about her modest childhood, her studies at Oxford, the heartbreak that brought her to Kingsbridge and to loving Harold, her friendship with his son, the solace she has found in a garden by the sea.

Perfect: A Novel

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The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

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The Nightingale

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The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

The irascible A. J. Fikry, owner of Island Books - the only bookstore on Alice Island - has already lost his wife. Now his most prized possession, a rare book, has been stolen from right under his nose in the most embarrassing of circumstances. The store itself, it seems, will be next to go. One night upon closing, he discovers a toddler in his children’s section with a note from her mother pinned to her Elmo doll: I want Maya to grow up in a place with books and among people who care about such kinds of things. I love her very much, but I can no longer take care of her.

A Man Called Ove

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My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry: A Novel

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The Art of Racing in the Rain

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Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel

The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone - and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything....

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

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Go Set a Watchman: A Novel

An historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, best-selling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014.

Code Name Verity

Code Name Verity is a compelling, emotionally rich story with universal themes of friendship and loyalty, heroism and bravery. Two young women from totally different backgrounds are thrown together during World War II: one a working-class girl from Manchester, the other a Scottish aristocrat, one a pilot, the other a wireless operator. Yet whenever their paths cross, they complement each other perfectly and before long become devoted friends. But then a vital mission goes wrong....

The Rosie Project: A Novel

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a "wonderful" husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical - most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver. Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent - and on a quest of her own....

Our Souls at Night: A Novel

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Elegance of the Hedgehog

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Me Before You: A Novel

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Big Stone Gap: A Novel

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the tiny town of Big Stone Gap is home to some of the most charming eccentrics in the state. Ave Maria Mulligan is the town's self-proclaimed spinster, a thirty-five year old pharmacist with a "mountain girl's body and a flat behind." She lives an amiable life with good friends and lots of hobbies until the fateful day in 1978 when she suddenly discovers that she's not who she always thought she was.

The Language of Flowers: A Novel

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The Blood of Flowers

In 17th-century Persia, a 14-year-old woman believes she will be married within the year. When her beloved father dies, she and her mother find themselves alone and without a dowry. With nowhere else to go, they are forced to sell the brilliant turquoise rug the young woman has woven to pay for their journey to Isfahan, where they will work as servants for her uncle, a rich rug designer in the court of the legendary Shah Abbas the Great.

The Rosie Effect

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The Pecan Man

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The Other Daughter: A Novel

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The Girl You Left Behind

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The Letter

The Number One Kindle best seller guaranteed to break your heart. Every so often a love story comes along to remind us that sometimes, in our darkest hour, hope shines a candle to light our way. Discover the Number One best seller that has captured thousands of hearts worldwide.... Tina Craig longs to escape her violent husband. She works all the hours God sends to save up enough money to leave him, also volunteering in a charity shop to avoid her unhappy home.

Audible Editor Reviews

Why we think it's Essential - Why did I love this book so much? The answer to that question is as complicated as trying to explain why you love a particular person. Because that’s what this book is – an entire life encapsulated and explored through the thoughts and encounters of a man on an unexpected journey. The story slowly grows and unfolds until the full picture is before you – blooming and beautiful and completely irreplaceable. Jim Broadbent’s narration is so utterly real it breaks your heart.  Emily

Publisher's Summary

Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn't seen or heard from in 20 years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.

Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce's remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk 600 miles from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.

Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him - allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years.

And then there is the unfinished business with Queenie Hennessy.

A novel of unsentimental charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry introduces Rachel Joyce as a wise - and utterly irresistible - storyteller.

What the Critics Say

"When it seems almost too late, Harold Fry opens his battered heart and lets the world rush in. This funny, poignant story about an ordinary man on an extraordinary journey moved and inspired me." (Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank)

"There's tremendous heart in this debut novel by Rachel Joyce, as she probes questions that are as simple as they are profound: Can we begin to live again, and live truly, as ourselves, even in middle age, when all seems ruined? Can we believe in hope when hope seems to have abandoned us? I found myself laughing through tears, rooting for Harold at every step of his journey. I'm still rooting for him." (Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife)

"Marvelous! I held my breath at his every blister and cramp, and felt as if by turning the pages, I might help his impossible quest succeed." (Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand)

This is a lovely tale of an ordinary man setting off on a pilgrimage to visit an old friend who is dying. Harold believes as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live. Without proper shoes, a map, or any plausible plan, he embarks on this journey. In a rut for the past 20 years, Harold is like a hamster jumping off the wheel, taking a new direction. He searches the recesses of his mind exploring his passionless marriage; history with his son; and his relationship with Queenie. Along the way, he encounters numerous people who both help and exploit his trek. Nothing is obvious or predictable.

You'll want to take your time with this one to appreciate the language and turn of phrase. One of my many favorite parts was the line, "Harold stopped measuring his journey in miles, but in remembering." The entire book was simply lovely and causes a bit of soul searching for the reader. Didn't rush through this one, savored all the text, and am a little wiser from the listening.

Hi all. I'm in my 50's (that's relevant, i think), and I favor fiction. I like the british sensibility, and was introduced to the Forsyte Saga through audible ... loved it! I happen to also like Chinese writers, but they are not well represented yet at audible. Looking to follow readers with similar tastes ...

i realize i am in the minority here, but i would not give this book 5 stars. the first 3/4 of the book was very good ... insightful, sweet and paced just right. i can't say the same for the last part. i wouldn't characterize mr. fry's walk as a spiritual journey, as some seem to ... i'd say more an education in human nature and self awareness. the narration is excellent.

I didn't expect what this book delivered. I thought it would be syrupy, preachy and maudlin - three of my least favorite attributes in a book. Because a few reviewers I follow recommended it, I bought it. I was engaged in the story in less than 5 minutes and found none of the treacle I dreaded.

This isn't a big book, but it certainly covers a lot of territory. I was taken with the way some age-old themes - like forgiveness and grief - were merged with such of-the-moment issues like social networking and a fickle society searching for the next new thing.

This story has authenticity and heart. It avoided the cliches that might have sunk it and emerged a real winner. I love the character of Harold Fry - partly because of how he was written and in equal measure because of the spot-on narration.

"...and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." - Hebrews 11:13

This novel reads like an inverted bildungsroman. It is a novel about the pilgrimages we all must take later in life and the penance that we all must finally pay. That indeed sounds like a dreary novel, but with Joyce's talent for prose and pacing this novel absolutely flows with funky characters and breathes with a gentle humor. For me, it was like I was reading a great novel by Peter Carey, or David Mitchell or Brady Udall. Those are the peers that she belongs with. The story of Harold Fry's pilgrimage is beautiful and the characters are vivid. Ultimately the book, like a soft hymn sings that we are all important to the people we come in contact with, no matter how simple and ordinary we may at first appear.

Jim Broadbent reads this novel with a nuance, liveliness, and sensitivity that one rarely find outside the theatre. One of the best narrations I've EVER listened to.

What a delightful surprise to run onto this book! It will always be one of my favorites.

As Harold sets out on a walk of 600 miles to visit an old friend who is dying, he is totally unaware of what this journey will teach him about himself, his relationship with his friend and with is wife and son. It is a bittersweet story, but a story about personal growth, even late in life. I adore it. It is the kind of book I hope for every time I start a new one, but rarely find. I put it up there with "Water for Elephants."

After the first chapter I really did not expect to like this book. The writing was simple, straightforward British with limited vocabulary and somewhat restrained characters, such is not generally my cup of tea. Yet the more I listened the more I wanted to go on.

Very slowly the proverbial stiff upper lip becomes lost in a journey of self revelation. While remaining very ordinary, the story becomes extraordinary. This does not wallow in faith or religion, instead it examines memory and the stories we tell ourselves and those we don’t.

By the end I laughed and teared up several times. The end of the story stuck with me and for the next day or two I wished I was still reading this story. The narration was excellent, imbibing a lot of emotion into the story. I have not set in the car to finish a chapter in a long time, but I did that a couple of times with this book. Highly recommended.

I hesitated on this purchase because of its popularity (often I don't go for what everyone else raves about); also some of the negative reviews made me wonder. I was afraid it would be a hit-you-over-the-head-with-a-hammer tearjerker. I'm really picky: picky about good writing and extraordinarily picky about narration. I simply loved this book, and the reader was superb. Jim Broadbent strikes the perfect tone with the narration and his characterization of Harold. It is a beautiful story, read so tenderly, and I'm so glad I took a chance on it. I certainly hope Jim Broadbent does more audiobooks.

Yes. 'The Pilgrimage' is fiction at its best: everything about the characters and story connects and rings true. The language is lyrical but never flowery or sentimental.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The story could not exist without each and every character - no particular favorite.

What about Jim Broadbent’s performance did you like?

His narration is flawless. Broadbent has the chops and humility to keep it simple at let the story shine.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I can't remember the last time a book (or movie) made me cry but this story elicited a surge of joy, gratitude, and amazement at the goodness that comes from 'little lives' well lived. I listened to the penultimate section standing completely still at the kitchen counter. The language so beautiful, so perfect - literally stopped me in my tracks.

Any additional comments?

I am normally quite careful to avoid selections that may be sad or maudlin since I skew a bit melancholy anyway ( I shall NEVER EVER read 'Marley and Me', for example) but this book broke my heart in the best possible way. Each character displays nobility and frailty while their story is told. The plot itself is intriguing as each character's perceptions bring more understanding to "the facts." Granted, I am writing this while still under the spell of the book, but I loved 'The Pilgrimage' as much as the book of Chekhov's short stories I've been reading this summer. I highly recommend this title for one and all.

I have read one review making the inevitable comparison to Forrest Gump's long run, and I confess that I had made that same connection. But while we could never really access Gump's inner world during his unplanned journey, we do get to travel intimately with Harold Fry, and that makes all the difference. From the beginning, when he is moved to tears by Queenie's letter saying goodbye, we realize that there is a much deeper story here than mere sadness over an old friend's illness. There are dark, secret waters flowing through Harold's memory, and that river sweeps him onto the road of self discovery with the reader in tow. Through the author's direct and deceptively simple language we connect with Harold's character and find a much more complex person than any of his own acquaintances would have suspected.

We also encounter a wider cast of characters, some major (wife Maureen), many minor, but through these encounters we learn more about Harold, and he about himself. When he is at his most alone and despairing point, I found connection to a different Tom Hanks role - Cast Away, especially when things he held precious on his journey were lost - as Hanks lost his WIlson. I could feel his spirit draining away.

The author has created a uniquely clear-eyed tone - poignant without sentiment, tragic (in places) without melodrama, and humor without comedy. Read with utter believability by Jim Broadbent, we grow to love most of the characters, even some of the apparently insignificant ones. This is a journey in the most common sense - one footstep after another. It is not an adventure. Readers who strain for the destination, impatient for journey's end will not get it. Those who arrive with Harold will be well rewarded.

I first read this book several months ago and fell in love with it. I talked my bookclub into reading it and decided to try the audio version since I didnt have time to reread. I was enchanted with the audioversion, the reader is absolutely the perfect HAROLD!!! The story unfolds slowly just like Harold's walk was painstakingly slow. Each encounter Harold has with the random strangers he meets, changes him and awakens his awareness about his life, his relationships, his mistakes and finally he finds his redemption. I have highly recommended this book to my friends and most have enjoyed it as much as I did. I think it's one of my favorites of the year!

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